In our role as cultural presenters, the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center offers a variety of events that are open to the public and the Boston University community. Many event speakers come from our diverse holdings; past speakers have come from the fields of journalism, theater, politics, opera, dance and literature.

If you thought archives were only full of dusty papers and books... prepare to be astonished and amazed! For the first time ever, HGARC presents a seminar devoted to the gadgets, contraptions, and discoveries that changed history. In the company of real-life inventor Prof. Greg Blonder, we'll take a look at some of the ingenious creations dreamed up by Alexander Graham Bell, Albert Einstein and others.

Join the Nursing Archives Associates for their annual meeting, featuring BU School of Nursing Alumna Dr. Patricia Reid Ponte. Dr. Reid Ponte will speak on credentialing in nursing, both individually and on the institutional level, and its impact on professional outcomes.

Patricia Reid Ponte, RN, DNSc, FAAN, NEA-BC is the Nurse-Scholar-in-Residence within the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Phyllis F. Cantor Center for Nursing and Patient Care Services Research, President of American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Board of Directors (2016 - present), and past Chair of ANCC Magnet Commission. She is a co-founder of the Workforce Outcomes Research and Leadership Development (WORLD) Institute, a practice collaborative initiated by DCFI, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Arizona State University College of Nursing and Health Innovation. Dr. Reid Ponte was named an American Academy of Nursing Fellow in 2004, and currently serves on the Finance Committee. She served on the Board of the Massachusetts Organization of Nurse Executives, and was the recipient of the Mary B. Conceison Award in 2004. Dr. Reid Ponte is also an instructor of health care quality, teaching courses at the Simmons College School of Nursing and Health Sciences, the University of Massachusetts, Boston College of Nursing & Health, and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst School of Nursing.

The HGARC Student Advisory Council invites you to a very special screening of For The Love Of Spock, Adam Nimoy's award-winning documentary film about the life and work of his father, Star Trek legend Leonard Nimoy.

Max Ascoli Symposium: The History of Italian Exile and Anti-Fascism

Join us as our panel of experts considers how the influence of Fascism, anti-Fascist resistance movements and anti-Semitism shaped Italian and Italian-American 20th century history. Respondents will explore these issues in their historical context, and consider how their legacy may inform present-day world affairs. Come enjoy a reception and an exhibition of papers from prominent 20th century Italian activists including Max Ascoli, Danilo Dolci, and Oriana Fallaci.

Admission: Free to Members of the Friends of HGARC & Students with a BU ID. General Public $25. R.S.V.P. (617) 353-3697

The Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center invites you to a reception and talk by New York Times-bestselling author, John Lescroart, who will give the Abraham Burack Lecture as part of our Friends Speaker Series. Prizes for the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center's Student Book Collecting Contest will be awarded preceding the lecture.

Lescroart (pronounced "less-kwah") is a prolific author of thrillers and mystery novels whose books have been translated into 16 languages in more than 75 countries. Larry King has called him "one of the best thriller writers to come down the pike." The Huffington Post says "The writing skills of John Lescroart are a national treasure." Lescroart has created a pantheon of beloved characters in a number of different series, including the Dismas Hardy novels, books starring Abe Glitsky and Wes Farrell, and the Auguste Lupa series. His latest novel, Fatal, is a standalone work about the unexpected, shattering, and lethal consequences of a one-night stand on a seemingly happily married couple. Suspense Magazine says, "After reading this one, you'll wonder why author Lescroart's picture is not printed beside the definition of 'spellbinding' in the dictionary."

Fighting Doughboys: Massachusetts Called to Arms in WWI

Presented in collaboration with the Military Historical Society of Massachusetts

Center Events

Thursday, April 6, 2017 - 5:30 pm

Howard Gotlieb Memorial Gallery, 771 Commonwealth Ave, First Floor

Admission: Free and Open to the Public

The Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center is pleased to host the Military Historical Society of Massachusetts for this special event commemorating the centennial of the US entry into World War I. Cosponsored by the Massachusetts World War I Centennial Commission and WorldBoston, "Fighting Doughboys" will feature a panel discussion with remarks by Valery Freland, Consul General of France in Boston, and Massachusetts Secretary of Education James Peyser. This event will also feature an exhibition of WWI archival material from the holdings of the Gotlieb Center. Reception to follow.

Poems in Progress

Join the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center for two occasions when students will each present a poem of his or her making, for discussion by others in the room. Conversation led by William M. and Sara B. Warren Professor of the Humanities Christopher Ricks and acclaimed poet and translator David Ferry. Each student must bring an original 10-30 line poem which can be a translation.

Student Discovery Seminar - Espionage: Double Agents & Defectors

With Prof. Joseph Wippl, Pardee School of Global Studies, and Ryan Hendrickson, HGARC

Student Discovery Seminars

Thursday, April 6, 2017 - 6:00 PM

HGARC Reading Room, 771 Commonwealth Avenue, 5th Floor

Admission: Free and Open to Students with BU ID

Join us for a special showcase of the Gotlieb Center's extensive espionage holdings. We'll do some snooping into the activities of some of the most sinister spies ever to work both sides of the street. Featuring remarks by former CIA operative and Pardee School of Global Studies professor Joseph Wippl. Seminar curated by Ryan Hendrickson, HGARC Assistant Director for Manuscripts.

HGARC Book Collecting Contest 2017 Deadline - EXTENDED

Student Enrichment Series

Monday, April 3, 2017 - 5:00 PM Deadline

HGARC Reading Room, 771 Commonwealth Avenue, 5th Floor

Admission: Open to full-time students regularly enrolled at Boston University

In 1967, the Friends of the Libraries of Boston University (now the Friends of the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center) launched a book collecting contest to introduce students to the joys of creating their own libraries and to encourage them in this gratifying pursuit. The contest is held in March and April, with the winners announced at the Friends Annual Meeting. Awards range from $200 to $1,500, including a best essay category. The contest is open to all full-time students in the University's undergraduate, graduate and professional schools.

The Rev. Dr. Barbara Reynolds is an ordained minister, a columnist, and the author of several books, including Out of Hell & Living Well: Healing from the Inside Out and No! I Won't Shut Up: 30 Years of Telling It Like It Is. She has written for many major magazines and newspapers including Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Playboy, Ebony, Essence, and USA Today, where she was a columnist and editorial board member for 13 years. She has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, C-Span, MSNBC, and hosted her own satellite radio show for almost a decade. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism, a Master's degree in Religious Studies, and a Doctorate in Pastoral Counseling.

She has received numerous civic, religious, and academic awards and accolades including the 1987 Southern Christian Leadership Conference Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major for Justice Award, and the HistoryMakers Award for Outstanding Leadership. In 2014, she was inducted into the Board of Preachers at the 29th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. International College of Ministers and Laity at Morehouse College in 2014. She serves on the board of advisors for major gun violence reform with Black Women for Positive Change. She also founded Harriet's Ministry, a weekly healing conversation for women addicted to alcohol and drugs.

Dr. Reynolds first met Coretta Scott King while on assignment to write a cover story featuring Mrs. King for the Chicago Tribune Sunday Magazine. A thirty-year friendship developed, during which time Mrs. King chose Dr. Reynolds as her official memoirist. USA Today describes My Life, My Love, My Legacy as "Eloquent... inspirational... King's life's work relayed in this rich retelling, provides a possible blueprint... and a beacon."

Join William M. and Sara B. Warren Professor of the Humanities and celebrated Bob Dylan expert Christopher Ricks for Part II in a two-part discussion of Dylan's work. In this installment, we'll consider Dylan's explorations of Christianity, focusing on 1995's "Sign on the Cross".

Portrait of an Artist: The Life and Work of Edward Sorel - Exhibition Opening

Center Events

Sunday, March 19, 2017 - 3:00 pm

Howard Gotlieb Memorial Gallery, 771 Commonwealth Ave, First Floor

Admission: Free and Open to the Public

The Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center at Boston University is proud to open "Portrait of an Artist: the Life and Work of Edward Sorel", a retrospective exhibition devoted to the career of the celebrated cartoonist, satirist, author and illustrator. In addition to his more than 40 covers for the The New Yorker, Sorel's art has appeared on the covers of The Atlantic, Harper's, Fortune, Forbes, The Nation, Esquire, American Heritage, The New York Times Magazine and Vanity Fair. He has illustrated numerous children's books, three of which he also wrote. Unauthorized Portraits (Knopf 1997) is the most recent of several collections of his work. His latest book, Mary Astor's Purple Diary: the Great American Sex Scandal of 1936, was published in 2016 to critical acclaim. In 2001, the Art Directors Club of New York elected Sorel to their Hall of Fame; he is first cartoonist since John Held, Jr., to be so honored. Sorel's papers are part of the holdings of the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center.

The opening will feature remarks by Sorel's colleague, the satirist, cartoonist and author Jules Feiffer, best known for his 42 year career as an editorial cartoonist for The Village Voice. Sorel will sign copies of his books at the event; selected titles, including Mary Astor's Purple Diary, will be available for purchase.

Join us for a celebration of the Silver Screen's Golden Age! Hold and examine materials from the archives of cinema legends including Lauren Bacall, Bette Davis, Gene Kelly and Kirk Douglas, to name a few. Remarks by Paul Schneider, Chair of the Department of Film & Television, COM. Seminar curated by Jane Silva, HGARC Archivist for Acquisitions.

Admission: Free to Members of the Friends of HGARC & Students with a BU ID. General Public $25. R.S.V.P. (617) 353-3697

Stephen Kinzer is an award-winning foreign correspondent whose articles and books have led The Washington Post to place him "among the best in popular foreign policy storytelling."

Kinzer spent more than 20 years working for The New York Times, most of it as a foreign correspondent. He was the Times' bureau chief in Nicaragua during the 1980s, and in Germany during the early 1990s. In 1996 he was named chief of the newly opened Times bureau in Istanbul. Later he was appointed national culture correspondent, based in Chicago. Since leaving the Times, Kinzer has taught journalism, political science, and international relations at Northwestern University and Boston University. He is a Visiting Fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, where he teaches international relations. He has written books about Central America, Rwanda, Turkey, and Iran, as well as others that trace the history of American foreign policy. He writes a world affairs column for The Boston Globe.

Kirkus Reviews sums up Kinzer's latest book, The True Flag: Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain and the Birth of American Empire as "A timely work on the vociferous sides taken over the Spanish-American War of 1898, and how that history relates to the ongoing debate regarding American imperialism." Prominent Americans including President Theodore Roosevelt, Henry Cabot Lodge, and William Randolph Hearst pushed for imperial expansion; their opposition included Mark Twain, Booker T. Washington, and Andrew Carnegie. Their debate laid the groundwork for all future discussions of American intervention in foreign nations, and remains relevant in considering the United States' role in present-day geopolitical conflicts. Kirkus calls the book "A tremendously elucidating book that should be required reading for civics courses."

Mr. Kinzer will be signing copies of his book following the talk. Books will be available for purchase on-site, courtesy of Barnes & Noble.

Join William M. and Sara B. Warren Professor of the Humanities and celebrated Bob Dylan expert Christopher Ricks for Part I in a two-part discussion of Dylan's songs. In this installment, we'll explore trains as a metaphor running through the Nobel Prize-winning singer-songwriter's work, using the song "Duquesne Whistle" as a case in point..

Join Tina Sutton, Boston Globe style journalist and fashionista extraordinaire at HGARC's special celebration of New York's fashion week. We'll leaf through photo collections featuring some of the 20th and 21st centuries' Most Glamorous---Lauren Bacall, Bette Davis and many more--and survey the work of top photographers including Eugene Cook and Yale Joel. Seminar curated by HGARC archivist Sarah Pratt.

Join us for our annual celebration of Dr. King's life and work. We'll hold and examine materials from King's archive, with a special focus on his commitment to nonviolent resistance in bringing about social change. In the company of Prof. Theodore Hickman-Maynard, STH, and Ryan Hendrickson, HGARC Assistant Director for Manuscripts, we'll consider the materials' historical context, and the different ways King's forms of peaceful protest may still be relevant today.

Hope, Despair and the Blues: An MLK Day Celebration Featuring Harry Lennix, Star of NBC's The Blacklist

Boston University will welcome acclaimed stage and screen actor Harry Lennix as part of its annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the university's most distinguished alumnus. This year's event, titled Hope, Despair and the Blues, will focus on Dr. King's legacy and its impact on music and the performing arts. Lennix will share his experiences as actor of color working in the United States, and discuss how art may be used to create dialogue and ease racial tensions.

Currently starring as Harold Cooper on NBC's primetime series The Blacklist, Lennix's big-screen credits include leading roles in Ray, The Matrix: Reloaded, The Matrix: Revolutions, Barbershop 2, Love and Basketball, The Human Stain and State of Play. He was also featured in Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Lennix's television career includes roles in the Golden Globe-nominated ABC television show Commander in Chief, the FOX hit series 24, ER, Diagnosis Murder and the FOX series Dollhouse.

Hope, Despair and the Blues will also feature musical performances including a performance of Duke Ellington's Sacred Concerts by Boston University's Big Band and Inner Strength Gospel Choir, as well as remarks by several esteemed Boston University faculty members, including College of Fine Arts professor and Baltimore playwright Kirsten Greenidge.

For more information, please contact Katherine Cornetta at katcorn@bu.edu.

Student Discovery Seminar - Sports!

with Bill Littlefield, Host of WBUR's "Only A Game" and JC Johnson, HGARC

Student Discovery Seminars

Wednesday, November 30, 2016 - 6:00 pm

HGARC Reading Room, 771 Commonwealth Avenue, Fifth Floor

Admission: Free and Open to Students with BU ID

For the first time ever, HGARC offers a student seminar exclusively geared toward the history of sports, covering ground from our very own Agganis Arena to the courts at Wimbeldon. In the company of radio sportscaster Bill Littlefield, come explore this veritable hall of fame of athletes in our archive.

Grab your coat and get your hat, leave your worries on the doorstep... just direct your feet to the HGARC Reading Room, where we'll look at materials from some of the greatest "hoofers" and "triple-threats" of all time, including Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly and Angela Lansbury.